Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a discharging section, and a controller. The image forming section performs printing of an image on a medium on the basis of received print data. The discharging section executes discharging operation and holding operation. The discharging operation is operation of discharging the medium subjected to the printing by the image forming section from a discharging slot to an outside. The holding operation is operation of holding the medium while exposing a portion of the medium from the discharging slot to the outside. The controller selects one of the discharging operation and the holding operation on the basis of attribute information included in the print data, and causes the discharging section to execute the selected one of the discharging operation and the holding operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that performs printing of a first image on a first medium on a basis of received first print data, and thereafter performs printing of a second image on a second medium on a basis of received second print data; 
 a discharging section that executes a first holding operation, a first discharging operation, a second holding operation, and a second discharging operation, the first holding operation being operation of exposing a portion of the first medium from the discharging slot to an outside and holding the first medium in such a manner as to allow the first medium to be pulled out from the discharging slot to the outside, the first discharging operation being operation of discharging the first medium from the discharging slot to the outside, the second holding operation being operation of exposing a portion of the second medium subjected to the printing of the second image by the image forming section from the discharging slot to the outside and holding the second medium in such a manner as to allow the second medium to be pulled out from the discharging slot to the outside, the second discharging operation being operation of discharging the second medium from the discharging slot to the outside; and 
 a controller that causes the discharging section to execute the second discharging operation, in a case where attribute information included in the second print data coincides with attribute information included in the first print data. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 an attribute information selecting section that allows a user to to select the attribute information included in the first print data and the attribute information included in the second print data, wherein 
 the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second holding operation when the second medium is conveyed to the discharge slot in a case where the attribute information included in the first print data and the attribute information included in the second print data are different from each other. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the attribute information included in the first print data and the attribute information included in the second print data are different from each other, the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second holding operation when the second medium subjected to printing based on the second print data is conveyed to the discharging slot, and the controller thereafter causes the discharging section to execute a third discharging operation only when attribute information included in third print data received after the second print data coincides with the attribute information included in the second print data,
 the third discharging operation being operation of discharging, from the discharging slot to the outside, a third medium subjected to printing of a third image on a basis of the third print data. 
 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller acquires job information of the first print data and job information of the second print data, and 
 in a case where the job information of the first print data and the job information of the second print data are different from each other, the controller causes the discharging section to perform the second holding operation when the second medium is conveyed to the discharging slot. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein, in a case where the job information of the first print data and the job information of the second print data are different from each other, the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second holding operation when the second medium subjected to printing based on the second print data is conveyed to the discharging slot, and the controller thereafter causes the discharging section to execute a third discharging operation only when job information included in third print data received after the second print data coincides with the job information included in the second print data, the third discharging operation being operation of discharging, from the discharging slot to the outside, a third medium subjected to printing of a third image on a basis of the third print data. 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller acquires user information of the first print data and user of the second print data, and 
 in a case where the user information of the first print data and the user information of the second print data are different from each other, the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second holding operation when the second medium is conveyed to the discharging slot. 
 
     
     
       7. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein, in a case where the user information of the first print data and the user information of the second print data are different from each other, the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second holding operation when the second medium subjected to printing based on the second print data is conveyed to the discharging slot, and the controller thereafter causes the discharging section to execute a third discharging operation as long as a user of current print data is same as a user of immediately-preceding print data only when user information included in third print data received after the second print data coincides with the user information included in the second print data, the third discharging operation being operation of discharging, from the discharging slot to the outside, a third medium subjected to printing of a third image on a basis of the third print data. 
     
     
       8. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller acquires user information of the first print data and user information of the second print data, and 
 in a case where the user information of the first print data and the user information of the second print data are different from each other, the controller keeps the second medium waiting in the discharging slot in a state where the second medium is not exposed to the outside from the discharging slot for a predetermined period of time. 
 
     
     
       9. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second holding operation, in a case where the attribute information included in the second print data is different from the attribute information included in the first print data. 
     
     
       10. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller causes the discharging section to execute the second discharging operation after the first holding operation, in a case where the attribute information included in the second print data coincides with the attribute information included in the first print data.